Free Trail of Lies by Carolyn Keene Page A

the fourth lap.
    â€œI can’t believe it!” George cried. “It’s going to be a photo finish.”
    â€œThere’s one more lap,” Nancy said.
    â€œSteve’s going to win. He’s got to.” George clapped her hands together excitedly.
    This time when the dogs burst out of the forest, Lindsay’s team was ahead by a few feet. If Steve was going to win, he’d have to coax a last burst of speed from his dogs.
    As Lindsay’s team hurtled ahead, a loud crack echoed through the crisp winter air. For a brief instant, no one reacted. Then Lindsay’s team swerved from the trail. The young woman tugged desperately on the lines,shouting to her dogs to get them back on the track.
    But the dogs were out of control, and the sled was headed straight for Nancy and George!

Chapter

Ten
    N ANCY MOVED INSTINCTIVELY , shoving George to the ground and flinging herself down next to her. She heard the dogs’ labored breathing and the jingle of their harness as they raced past, snow spraying up from their paws. The sled’s runners hissed by, only inches from her head. Then it was over, as suddenly as it had begun.
    â€œWhat happened?” George asked shakily, climbing to her feet and brushing snow from her pants.
    Nancy stood slowly. “Something spooked Lindsay’s team.”
    She turned. Lindsay had her dogs under control and was headed back toward them.She stopped the team and set the brake on the sled.
    â€œAre you all right?” she asked anxiously.
    â€œWe’re fine,” George said, somewhat abruptly.
    Lindsay’s relief was obvious. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened back there. All I could think about when Butterscotch swerved was that you might be hurt.”
    Nancy managed a laugh. “I never thought I’d see the end of the race from quite that angle.” She shaded her eyes with her hand and gazed at the finish line. Steve had apparently crossed it first. Now she could see him running back toward the scene of the accident.
    Moments later he and Craig reached the girls. “Are you okay? What happened?” Steve demanded. He put a protective arm around George.
    Lindsay’s face was still pale as she spoke. “It sounded as if someone cracked a whip near my team. Butterscotch went wild, the way she always does when she hears a whip.”
    Steve gave Lindsay an irritated look. “You pamper those dogs too much. They ought to be used to loud noises.”
    â€œThat’s not the point,” Craig said, putting a cautionary hand on his friend’s arm.
    Nancy looked dubious. “I don’t think it was a whip, Lindsay.” She turned to George. “Did you see anyone crack a whip?”
    â€œNo,” said George.
    â€œI didn’t either,” Nancy told them.
    â€œI don’t know what it was then,” Lindsay said, with a glance at Steve. “Obviously, though, someone didn’t want me to win the trial.”
    Steve flushed. “You can’t think I had anything to do with it.”
    â€œCan’t I?” Lindsay glared. “You said you were going to win, one way or another.”
    But Nancy wasn’t listening to the conversation anymore. She’d just spotted John Tilden walking away from the track toward the parking lot. She turned to George. “Would you wait here?” she asked softly so that the others would not overhear her. “I want to talk to John.”
    George nodded, and Nancy walked quickly across the field.
    â€œJohn!” she called.
    He looked back, then stopped when he saw her.
    â€œI want to talk to you,” she said when she reached him.
    â€œWhat about?” he asked warily.
    â€œDid you have anything to do with spooking those dogs?” Nancy asked in a matter-of-fact tone.
    John’s mouth dropped open. “No!” he cried. His shock seemed genuine. “I heard the shot, but I don’t know where it came